Lion Coach Olive Remains Upbeat Despite Loss to Waves

Saturday night’s basketball game at Pepperdine afforded Loyola Marymount the rare opportunity to play before a television audience.

Viewers, though, may have tuned out early after Loyola fell behind, 26-6, in the first 10 minutes, on its way to an 80-54 defeat. In a season characterized by lows, rarely have the Lions sunk so far so fast.

The only question remaining is, how low can they go?

With its seventh consecutive defeat, Loyola fell to 7-17 and 2-10 in the West Coast Conference. The Lions, who have lost 10 of 11 games, are tied for last place with Portland with two WCC games remaining--Thursday night at Gonzaga and Saturday night at Portland.

The last time Loyola won a game on the road was Dec. 30 at the University of Buffalo. In other words, it is quite possible that Loyola will finish last in the eight-team WCC and have to play the champion, most likely Pepperdine, in the first round of the conference tournament March 6 at San Francisco.

“That would be great,” Loyola Coach John Olive said of a potential rematch with the Waves, who have beaten Loyola seven consecutive times. “That would be a tremendous challenge.”

Olive managed to stay positive after watching his team suffer its worst loss of the season and its worst loss to Pepperdine since 1979.

“They played a great game,” Olive said of the Waves. “They took us out of what we needed to do.”

Of course, Loyola didn’t help its cause. The Lions shot 37.3% (22 of 59) from the field, committed 22 turnovers and were outrebounded, 34-26. Center Brian McCloskey, with 11 points, was the only Loyola player to score in double figures.

Senior forward Christian Scott was asked if the Lions are losing their confidence with each defeat.

“We’re trying to say no, but it might be so,” Scott said. “We’re not as confident as when we played (Nevada Las) Vegas and Michigan State (in close games early in the season).

“The guys on the team have forgotten what it’s like to win.”

Loyola’s seven-game losing streak is the school’s longest since the 1986-87 season, and its 17 losses are the most by a Lion team since 1982-83, when they finished 9-18.

There was little suspense in Saturday night’s game. Pepperdine took an 11-2 advantage and led by as many as 27 points in the first half, which ended with the Waves ahead, 44-22. Loyola was hurt by 12 turnovers in the first half and had difficulty getting good shots; once allowing the 45-second clock to expire.

“We couldn’t get the ball inside,” Olive said. “We were limited to the perimeter game. You can’t live and die on the perimeter.”

The game became embarrassing for the Lions in the second half. Pepperdine opened its biggest lead, 76-45, after dunks by point guard Bryan Parker and forward Byron Jenson brought the Firestone Fieldhouse crowd to its feet.

Olive, though, isn’t ready to throw in the towel.

“I don’t know the word give up,” he said. “We’ll continue to come out prepared for every opponent, just like it was for the first opponent.”